Teacher Grader

This teacher grader is a free grading tool for teachers who need to convert scores into percentages and letter grades in seconds. Whether you grade by questions, by points, or by percentage, this online grader for teachers handles all three methods in one place.

How to Grade Tests and Assignments in 3 Steps

Step 1: Select your grading mode. Choose By Questions for standard tests where every question is worth the same value. Choose By Points for assignments, essays, or projects with a specific point total. Choose By Percentage if you have already calculated the student’s score as a percentage.

Step 2: Enter the student’s score using the input fields. For questions mode, enter the total number of questions on the test and how many the student got wrong. For points mode, enter the points the student earned and the total points possible. For percentage mode, type the score directly into the single field.

Step 3: Choose your grading scale from the tabs above — Standard 10-point, Plus/Minus, or 7-Point to match your school or district policy. Results update instantly as you type, no button needed.

The teacher grade calculator generates a visual dashboard, what-if scenarios, and a complete printable grading table automatically.

How Teachers Calculate Grades: Formula and Worked Example

Both formulas produce the same result — they calculate what fraction of the total the student earned, then convert to a percentage. The first version works for any scoring method, while the second is specific to tests graded by right and wrong answers.

For assignments scored by points instead of questions, the formula works the same way. If a student earns 42 out of 50 points on an essay: (42 ÷ 50) × 100 = 84.0%. This teacher grade calculator handles both scoring methods so you do not need separate tools.

For tests where each question carries different point values, try our test grade calculator. To combine multiple test scores with homework and participation into a final course grade, our grade calculator handles weighted categories.

Why Grading Scale Choice Matters More Than Most Teachers Realize

The grading scale you select changes what letter grade a student receives for the exact same percentage. This means two students at different schools can score identically on the same test and walk away with different letter grades on their report cards. Understanding the differences helps you choose the fairest scale for your classroom.

Take a student who scores 82% on a unit exam. On the standard 10-point scale, 82% falls in the B range (80–89%), so the student earns a B. On the plus/minus scale, 82% is specifically a B- (80–82%). On the 7-point scale, 82% drops to a C+ (80–82%). The same score, the same test, three different letter grades depending entirely on which scale the teacher uses.

This difference becomes especially important at grade boundaries. A student sitting at 89% earns a B on the standard scale but a B+ on the plus/minus scale. A student at 79% gets a C on standard but a C+ on plus/minus. Plus/minus grading rewards students who are near the top of a range and distinguishes them from students at the bottom of the same range.

Schools in the southeastern United States frequently use the 7-point scale, where an A starts at 93%. Schools in other regions typically use the standard 10-point scale where 90% is an A. Neither is inherently better, but switching between them mid-semester confuses students and parents. Pick one scale at the start of the year and apply it consistently.

Check the grading scale reference page for detailed definitions of each system. For grading with custom point values per question, use our test grade calculator. Teachers who need to calculate class averages across multiple assignments can use our grade calculator.